Horizontally movable refrigerator shelf



Oct. 4, 1955 c. F. PETKWITZ 2,719,772

HORIZONTALLY MOVABLE REFRIGERATOR SHELF Filed Sept. 23, 1952 l 2 Sheets-Sheet l a Fi 2 Fig. 4 fifi a I? r I :1 v A Yu |2. I5 I J INVENTOR. Car/ F. Peflrwl'fz Fig. z/m,m..wus; u

Oct 1955 c. F. PETKWITZ HORIZONTALLY MOVABLE REFRIGERATOR SHELF 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 23, 1952 i III United States Patent Office 2,719,772 7 Patented Oct. 4, 195

2,719,772 HORIZONTALLY MOVABLE REFRIGERATOR SHELF Carl F. Petkwitz, Oakwood, Ohio, assignor to General Motors Corporation, Dayton, Ohio, a corporation of Delaware Application September 23, 1952, Serial Np. 311,028 7 Claims. Cl. 312-440 This invention relates to refrigerators and particularly to a shelf arrangement for the refrigerated compartment thereof.

Movable sliding or extensible shelves have heretofore been provided in household refrigerators and I have found that they have not been entirely satisfactory for several reasons. Some of the prior arrangements for extending, either by rolling or sliding, a shelf outwardly of the refrigerated food storage compartment of a refrigerator cabinet comprised so many parts that from a cost standpoint their use has been prohibited. Others have been difficult to operate into an extended position relative to the cabinet due to binding of the shelf supports at certain points of movement thereof caused by unbalanced loads thereon or to applying a pulling force at one side only of the shelf. Still other extensible shelf supporting arrangements have been located at the side of a shelf supported therefrom and this prevents a shelf from occupying the entire horizontal area between upright side walls of a food compartment in a refrigerator. The latter results in waste of valuable space in the food compartment and since this space is at a premium in a refrigerator, any extra food storage area that is made available is the equivalent of that much food storage space at no extra cost. I therefore contemplate the provision of an extensible food supporting shelf in a refrigerator cabinet which overcomes the aforesaid objections.

An object of my invention is to provide an improved shelf for a refrigerator cabinet of a type which is roliable part way outwardly of a compartment therein and isslidable an additional distance outwardly of the compartment beyond the outward rolled position thereof.

An other object of my invention is to provide for the extension of a shelf outwardly of a food storage compartment of a refrigerator cabinet with a minimum of elements supporting the shelf so as to simplify and reduce manufacturing costs of extensible shelves.

A further object of my invention is to provide a combined rollable and slidable arrangement for an extensible refrigerator shelf which shelf is removably located upon its extensible arrangement in such a manner as to prevent detachment of the shelf from its supports during at least the sliding movement thereof relative to the supports. 7

A still further object of my invention isto rigidly secure rollers for a combined rollable and slidable shelf in a refrigerator to upright walls of the food storage compartment thereof and to carry the shelf above the rollers whereby the shelf may extend substantially from one upright side wall to the other of the compartment so as to eliminate wasting a portion of the horiozntal area of the compartment between its side walls.

In carrying out the foregoing objects it is a more specific object of my invention to provide plastic gliders between metal elements of a slidable shelf arrangement whereby the elements may be slid relative to one another with a minimum of friction therebetween.

Further objects and advantages of the presentinvention determined temperature within will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein a preferred form of the present invention is clearly, shown.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front view of a; household refrigerator cabinet having my invention embodied in the food storage compartment thereof and showing the compartment door in open position;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1 showing an extensible shelf supported in a normal position within the food compartment of the refrigerator cabinet;

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 and shows the extensible shelf rolled part way outwardly of the food compartment of the refrigerator cabinet;

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 2 showing the extensible shelf slid relative to its supports an additional distance outwardly of the food compartment over that shown in Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 1 with a portion of the shelf along one side edge thereof broken away and looking down on its rollable and slidable support;

Figure 6 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 66 of Figure 7 showing the shelf mounted-on its rollable and slidable support; 7

Figure 7 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 77 of Figure 6 looking upwardly from beneath the shelf; and

Figure 8 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 8-8 of Figure 7 showing a glider or button element embodied in the the shelf relative toits rollable support.

Referring to the drawings, for illustrating my invention, I show in Figure 1 thereof a household type refrigerator cabinet of rectilinear configuration and comprising an outer shell or panels 11 and an inner metal liner 12 with any suitable insulating material 14 disposed therebetween (see Figure 5 Liner 12 forms walls of a food storage compartment 15 Within the refrigerator cabinet. Compartment 15 may be cooled by an evaporator 17 of a closed refrigerating system (not shown) associated with-the refrigerator cabinet. The evaporator 17 is mounted in the upper portion of compartment 15 and the cooling effect produced thereby chills and causes circulation of air throughout this compartment to preserve foods stored therein. Evaporator 17 has conduit connections with a refrigerant translating device of any suitable or conventional design such as a motor-compressor-condenserunit ordinarily mounted in a machine compartment of the cabinet, located below the food storage compartment 15. Suitable controls for the refrigerant translating device and for admitting refrigerant to evaporator 17 may be provided to maintain a prethe'food compartment 15 as is conventional in the art. A door 18, shown in open position in Figure I, normally closes an opening in the front of the refrigerator cabinet affording access to compartment 15. Compartment 15 is provided with a plurality of vertically spaced apart food supporting shelves mounted upon opposed upright side walls of the compartment. These shelves may be formed of sheet aluminum or other suitable material and are reticulated to permit air, cooled by evaporator 17, to circulate therethrough and about the compartment 15 over foods stored therein. The shelves are rectangular (see Figure 5) and have a fiat article support surface provided with a plurality of elongated slots 19.

According to my invention atleast one ofthe shelves 21 is of the type that can be extendedoutwardly of compartment 15, through its access opening'whendoor 18 is opened, so as to render food products stored on present structure to facilitate sliding of the back portion thereof readily accessible from exteriorly of ihe refrigerate; cabinet. Shelf 21 is provided with a raised rolled-over rear wall 23 (see Figure raised rolled-over.sidewa tt cn sure .5 e ds) n a, d wnward ywtumed hp. .2 ee. F r s. 5. nd. 7) a the front thereof. The lip 26 forms a handle for moving or extending the shelf 21 as will be presently described, rThe. rolled-over P of. h de walls 2.4 O y of shelf, 2 1 extend s a short distance below the main or fl f d upp rt gnart f the shelf as at 2. (s e F g e 6). A part of the shelf proper adjacentits sides is cut o as at. 28 andben d wn ard y as t29 eeldig r 6. an t7) p v e. ep d ng s h h coopera e with the short extension-,2! ,to provide the .shelf 21 with a track portion 31 (see Figure ,6), between the depending parts 27 and29, Means is provided for both rollably and .slida ly. s pp r in h l 1.v wi hin ompa tm for permitting the shelf to be extended outwardly theref wh n orl spp nl smean comp e a Pa of, spaced apart horizontallyjaligned rollets, 32 rigidly secured upon each of the, opposed upright side walls of compartment 15 near the open front thereof. I Theroliers of each pairthereof, are rollably mounted upon headed studs 33 riveted or otherwise suitably secured, to opposed end portions of a metalplate 34.1 Plate .34 is secured to the inner surface of liner .2,by screws 36 which pass through the liner andrare threaded into a back plate 37 located onrthe ,outer surface of liner 12 (see Figure 7). The heads of a separate sfitofscrews 38 engage the liner 12 and are threaded into backing plate 37 to rigidly securethis, plate to the liner and to permit plate 34 and the rollers 32 mounted thereon to be removed without danger of backing plate 37 falling out of place. The shelf supporting meansalso includes arsubstantially (Zr-shaped, track member 41 fitting over or embracing the rollers 32 at each side of the compartment 15pas shown in Figure 6 ofthe drawings. These track members 41 each ,ha ve both ends thereof closed hystop means in the form of inwardly bent extensions 42 which stop means are for a purpose to be hereinafter described. Each track member 41 is providedwith a track receiving portion adapted to be associated with the track portion 31onshelf 21 In the present disclosure this track receiving portion on track member, 41 is in the form of a horizontal ear 43 on ,a separate member or vertical piece. of metal 44 rigidly secured to member 41 by a plurality of rivets 45 (see Figure 7). The stops means or ,extensi ons 42 for track member 41 are formed on this vertical metalpiece 44. It is to be understood that the track receivingportion 43 and the stop means. or extensions 42 may, if desired, be formed as integral parts of mernber,41. Glider elements 46,are secured to the depending leg 29 of shelf 21 in spaced apart relation therealong and to the track receivingportion 43 of track member 41 in spaced apart relation therealong. One of these glider elements ,46 rnay if desired be located at the rear end oftrackportion 31 of shelf 21 as shown. The glider elements 46 are in the form of nonmetallic rivets having a rounded button-like head and being extendedthroughsuitable holes, in the elements 29 and 43 with their shank portion spread outdo lock them in place in the holes. Articlesconstructed of polyamide material or polymeric amides having a protein-like chemical structure may be slidor rolled upon metal surfaces or metal surfaces may beslidupon and along objects so constructedwithmuch less friction than sliding metal, members upon or along one another. Thus I prefer to form or mold the rollers 32, and particularly the glider elements 46 of such polyamide plastic material.

The shelf 21 has an integral bent ,down stop 47 at the front thereof (see Figurej) disposed in the path of the track receiving portion 43 of member 41 for a purpose to be hereinafter described. Depending part or leg 27 of the side wall 24 of shelf 21 is provided, about mid- 4 way between the front and rear thereof, with a short underttirn'ed horizontal flange 48 (see Figures 5; G'a'rid 7). The track receiving portion 43 of metal piece 44 on track member 41 has a cut out part 51 (see Figures 5 and 7) which is slightly longer than the flange 48 on leg 27 of shelf 21. Flange48 on the depending leg 27 of the shelf side wall 24 is normally in vertieal al ignment with the cut out part 51 of the track receiving portion 43 and is disposed under the track receiving portion 43 during sliding movement of theshelf to .form means for detachably interlocking the shelf 21 to track member 41 during such sliding movement thereof. The cut-but part 51 of track receiving portion 43 is movedout of vertical alignment with the flange 48 wheii the shelf is slid horizontally relative to track member 41. Thus shelf 21 is interlocked with member 41 whenever it is slid relative thereto and may be elevated relative to member 41 and removed therefrom onlyrwhen theshelf is not moved relative to member 41. .Track receiving PD i I 43 of member 44 is provided with a short bent down tOp. portion as shown at 52 (see Figures 5 and 7) adapted to engage the forward edge of flange 48 for a purpose to be hereinafter described, Shelf 21 is movable part way out of compartment 15; of the refrigerator. cabinet; by being rollable outwardly of compartment 15 a predetermined distance and thereafter slidable an additional distance out of the compartment. For the purpose of illustrating .an'ddescr'ibing the reliability and slidability of shelf 21 it is to bev assumed that the shelf has its track portion 31 at each side thereof resting upon the plastic gliders 46 on the track receiving portion 43 of members 44 along the opposed side walls of compartment 15. The track members 41 having previously been slid over the rollers 32 to embrace thesame with the stop or extension 42 at the rear ofmembers 41 bent into the path of the rollers to prevent removal of these track members from the rollers and .from the-food compartment. Referring now to Figure 2 of the drawings the shelf 21 is shown in its retracted or normal position within compartment 15; In this position shelf 21 may, if desired, be removed from its support simply by elevating the same relative thereto whereby th'einterlocking flanges 48 thereon will pass' upwardly through the cut-out parts or openings 51 in the track receiving portions 43 of the shelf supports. In Figure '3 of the drawings I show the shelf 21 and the track members 41 of its supporting structure as having b een rolled a pre determined distance out of compartment 15 as a unit, by the application of ah'orizontal force to the shelf, which has caused the track members 41 to roll on the rollers 32. It will be noted that the stops or extensions 42 iii the back of members 41 have been shifted into en age; ment with the rear rollers 32 but the shelf 21' and the track portions 43 have not as yet been moved relative to one another. Thus shelf 21 may, if desired, 'still be detached and removed from its support g track members as above described. Furthfr application ofhorrz force to shelf 21 will, since st'ops 42 now nga'ge tlier rollers 32 to prevent forward movement of track In 41, cause the same to he slid relative to its track V an additional distance outwardly of compartme t 15; through its access opening; as shown in Figure 4 tiff he drawings, beyond thepredeterm'ined distance of butwar d rolling movement thereof showh i'n Figu 3; In this 52 ave additional extended po tion of sheli .2 Sh

d. e, fo wa d d j f elt t .5 15. P, ing of the shelf on its 'sup port brie its fully xte d position. During movement of shelf 21 from the osi tion thereof shown Figure 3 to theposition Fi 4 the trsk s nsfil. tfi .l ?l Q kidded or slid upon or over the gliders46 on the traclcreceiving portions 43 of the shelfjsupport. The plastic gliders or buttons 46 secured. to the depending legs .29' on shelf 21 may be g g d by the vertical part 44 of track urembers 41 during sliding movement of the shelf relative to the rollable track members to thereby reduce friction between these elements and prevent binding of the shelf against its mounting means when a force is applied to one side of the shelf. The gliders 46 oifer very little friction to the parts that are slidable relative to one another and in fact when a continuous outward pulling force is applied to the shelf 21 the operator can hardly detect the end of rolling movement and the beginning of the sliding movement of the shelf. An initial sliding movement of track portions 31 of shelf 21 relative to the track receiving portions 43 of the combined rollable and slidable support will move the flanges 48 away from the cut-out or open parts 51 intrack receiving portions 43. The flanges 48 are thereby positioned below track receiving portions 43 to interlock the shelf to its supports so that it cannot become detached or removed therefrom during the act of sliding the shelf through its additional distance of movement over the rolling movement thereof.

From the foregoing it should be apparent that I have provided an improved shelf arrangement for the refrigerated compartment of a refrigerator cabinet which by the combination of rolling the shelf part way out of the compartment and thereafter sliding same an additional distance outwardly of the compartment facilitates access to food products stored on the rear portion of the shelf. By stationarily securing the rollers to the upright side Walls of the food storage compartment I eliminate the necessity of mounting an extra guide on these walls to thereby enable the shelf supporting arrangement to be constructed of a minimum number of parts. The spacing of the track portions on the shelf from the track receiving portions for the shelf from one another by the glider elements and the forming of these elements from the plastic material herein specified the shelf may be freely slid relative to its rollable supporting means. By spacing the rollers apart and mounting the same closely adjacent the access opening of the compartment and by constructing the shelf supporting means in a manner to permit the combination of rolling and sliding of the shelf the present shelf may be extended a substantial distance 1 outwardly of the compartment and yet firmly supported from walls thereof.

While the form of embodiment of the invention as herein disclosed constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, as may come within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. In combination, a cabinet having a plurality of walls forming a food storage compartment therein, said compartment having an access opening in the front thereof, a door pivotally mounted upon said cabinet normally closing said compartment access opening, a pair of spaced horizontally aligned rollers rigidly mounted upon each of the opposed upright side walls of said compartment, each of the rollers of said pairs thereof being located closely adjacent the open front of said compartment, a shelf within said compartment having a food supporting area extending continuously from one to the other of said side walls over said rollers, means for supporting said shelf upon said rollers, said rollers being located a substantial distance above the bottom wall of said compartment and spacing said shelf therefrom to provide an open space therebelow, said food supporting area of said shelf being reticulated to permit air in said compartment to flow therethrough, said shelf supporting means including a track member embracing a pair of said rollers and provided with a track receiving portion, said shelf having means along its side edges defining a track portion, said track portion on said shelf fitting over said track receiving portion on said track member, said track member being rollable along and relative to said rollers, upon applying a horizontal force to said shelf, to roll the shelf a predetermined distance outwardly of said compartment through its access opening when said door is open, said track portion on said shelf being slidable relative to said track receiving portion of said track member to move the shelf an additional distance outwardly of said compartment beyond said predetermined distance of rolling movement thereof, means on one of said portions registering with an opening in the other of said portions to normally permit said shelf to be removed from its supporting means, and said last named means being moved out of registry with said opening in said other of said portions upon movement of said shelf beyond said predetermined distance of rolling movement thereof to prevent removal of the shelf from its supporting means. I

2. The combination defined in claim l wherein the shelf provides the sole means of tying the opposed rollable track members to one another.

3. In combination, a cabinet having a plurality of walls forming a food storage compartment therein, said compartment having an access opening in the front thereof, a door pivotally mounted-upon said cabinet normally closing said compartment access opening, a pair of spaced horizontally aligned rollers rigidly mounted upon each of the opposed upright side walls of said compartment, each of the rollers of said pairs thereof being located closely adjacent the open front of said compartment, a shelf within said compartment having a food supporting area extending continuously from one to the other of said side walls over said 'rollers, means for supporting said shelf upon said rollers, said rollers being located a substantial distance above the bottom wall of said compartment and spacing said shelf therefrom to provide an open space therebelow, said food supporting area of said shelf being reticulated to permit air in said compartment to flow therethrough, said shelf supporting means including a track member embracing a pair of said rollers and provided with a track receiving portion, said shelf having means along its side edges defining a track portion, a plurality of molded plastic glider elements stationarily secured in spaced apart relation along said track receiving portion of said track member, said track portion on said shelf fitting over said track receiving portion on said track member with the glider elements spacing said portions from one another, said track member being rollable along and relative to said rollers, upon applying a horizontal force to said shelf, to roll the shelf a predetermined distance outwardly of said compartment through its access opening when said door is open, means on said track member engageable with the rearmost roller of the pairs thereof for stopping said member at said predetermined outward position of rolling movement of said shelf, said track portion on said shelf being slidable relative to said track receiving portion of said track member to move the shelf an additional distance outwardly of said compartment beyond said predetermined distance of rolling movement thereof, means on said track portion of said shelf registering with an opening provided in said track receiving portion of said track member to normally permit said shelf to be removed from its supporting means, and said last named means being moved out of registry with said opening upon movement of said shelf beyond said predetermined distance of rolling movement thereof to prevent removal of the shelf from its supporting means during its said sliding movement.

4. In combination, a cabinet having a plurality of walls forming a food storage compartment therein, said compartment having an access opening in the front thereof, a door pivotally mounted upon said cabinet normally closing said compartment access opening, a pair of spaced horizontally aligned rollers rigidly mounted upon each of the opposed upright side walls of said compartment, each of the rollers of said pairs thereof being located closely adjacent the open front of said compartment, a shelf within said compartment having a food supporting area extending continuously from one to the other of said side walls over said rollers, means for supporting said shelf upon said rollers, said rollers, being located a substantial distance above the. bottom wall of said compartment and spacing said shelf therefrom to provide an open space therebelow, said food supporting area of said shelf being reticulated to permitair in said compartment to fiow therethrou'gh, said shelf supporting means including a track member embracing a pair of said rollers and provided with a track receiving portion, said shelf having means along its .side edges defining a track portion, a plurality of molded plastic glider elements stationarily secured in spaced apart relation along one of said port i ons, said track portion on said shelf fitting over said track receiving portion on said track member with the glider elements spacing, said portions from one another, said track member ,being rollable along said rollers, u'pon applying a horizontaltforce to said shelf, to roll the shelf a predetermined distance outwardly of said compartment through its access opening when said door is open, said track portion on said shelf being slidable on said molded plasticglider elements relative to said track receiving portion of said track member to move the shelf an additional distance outwardly of said compartment beyond said predetermined distance ofrolling movement thereof, means normally permitting said shelf to be removed from its supporting means, and said last named means being so constructed and arranged as to be rendered effective by the sliding movement of said shelf for preventing removal thereof from its supporting means i 5.. The combination defined in claim 4 wherein the shelf provides the sole means of tying the opposed rollable track members to one another.

6. A refrigerator comprising a cabinetthaving a plurality of walls forming an open front food storage compartment therein, a pair of horizontallytspaced apart rollers stationarily mounted upon each of the opposed side walls of said compartment near the open front thereof, a track member rollably supported on each of said pair of rollers, said track members each having a track receiving portion spaced vertically from and overlying the top thereof, said track members each having a stop at he. front and re r en s h reof widsmmbdns sng g ble ce t of s id r ller q i IOIHQE 1 9??- ment fs d rackm e at v t e stqi a vS e s. ra k. pbrt n. o e lv nsem d pt d. to h sup.- pe tedsupq i v ack r ivin ot nipifi e s 'lt eeli niet be v sa sh e n s idabls 9 s id. r rs i i r o 9?. s d r p m mber re e reth s a lsh il h in an es fle ge be t, a ss it a IF": a i ort n .,s i a k s irin s sr qn ha an integral stop bent downwardly therefrominto the horia a! Pl ns sa bent .n qsafi n as d We s??? ing ,portionof said tracl; members having a cu t out, part,

said out out part of said track receiving portion of said ra m m sno me il i n wi h i h a 31 flange to permit removal of the shelfwhile in a horizontal positionvertically upward of said traclgmembers said out out part of said traclg rece vingportion of said tract members being oved out of registry with said bent'uii'der flange when he shelf is slid forwardly of said track members to lock the shelf againstsaidremoval, and bentujidjer flange being engageable S aid stop on said t act; receiving portion or m s er for waiting dinwa ra movement bf the Shelf relative to Said tiilt ,7; A structure as defined in claim 6 wherein a plurality of nmetallic glider elements are secured in spaced apart relation 1e gtiietrak receivin portien of the trap; members on which the shelf glides when slid relative thereto.

tss ]i th fi e i i t s r UNITED STATES PATENTS 771,877 Kuebler Oct. 11, 190.4

861,680 Schwa'rz July 30, 1907 1,112,585 Abbath .,Oct.. .6, 191.4 1,929,762 Ulrich Oct. 10., 1933 1,953,024 Rand Mar. 27,, 19.3%, 2,033,860 Otte Mar. 10, 1936 2,550,980 Drake May 1, 1951 

